The dark-haired woman steps forward, her wicked smile a contrast to the ache twisting in my stomach. She takes Casper’s hand, glancing at me with vicious delight before offering a mocking curtsy. Casper’s gaze falters, shifting fully to her. Without a word, they turn to Jason, who stands with his hand still outstretched to me.
I place my hand in his, sealing my fate. Jason leads me to theballroom’s center, his grip firm, as the crowd begins to sway once more. The haunting melody of the vampire waltz fills the room, violins weaving a thread that binds us all in its intricate spell.
Yet, as the dance begins, I feel numb, my steps heavy with the sting of what I’ve done. The world blurs at the edges, the lights too bright, the faces too far away. My skin burns with the ghost of Casper’s touch, the way his fingers grazed mine in a silent plea I can’t forget. The thought of what I’ve left behind weighs heavily on me, making it impossible to breathe.
Jason’s hand at my waist steadies me as he guides me into a smooth, sweeping turn.
“Lailah,” he murmurs, his voice soft, pulling me back into the present.
His steadiness contrasts with the chaos inside me, a calm I’m not sure I want to embrace. I glance up at him, my lips curving into a forced smile.
“You’re leading well.”
Jason’s gaze lingers on me, searching for something beneath the surface.
“I had a good teacher.” His words are tinged with nostalgia, a faint smile playing on his lips. The memory tugs at a thread deep within me, unraveling a scene from years ago.
I can almost see it—two children sneaking into the ballroom when no one was looking, the grand space feeling impossibly large and magical. The polished floors seemed to stretch on forever, reflecting the light of chandeliers that felt like stars within our reach. Jason’s laugh echoed through the empty room as he grabbed my hands, clumsily trying to mimic the steps we’d seen the nobles perform at banquets.
But even his warmth can’t thaw the chill spreading through me now, the ache of a choice I can’t undo. The violins rise, and I spin under his arm, the world tilting as the crowd melts into a swirl of colors and motion. But when Jason pulls me back into his embrace, the sensation shifts, reminding me of the reality I’ve chosen.
“You look…” His golden eyes flicker with something I can’t quite place—a mixture of understanding and something deeper, more complicated. “I don’t deserve you”.
The words hang in the air mingling with the haunting strains of the violins. I glance away, my gaze skimming the faces in the crowd, searching for an anchor to steady myself. But the ache I feel only deepens, a knot of emotions I can’t unravel. Jason, ever steady, fills the silence with deft movements, pulling me back into the moment as we sway and turn in rhythm with the music.
“Is there something between you and the king's shadow?” he asks.
My breath catches. I press my tongue to the roof of my mouth to keep it steady. My jaw tenses as I force the truth deep beneath the surface where even I can’t reach it.
“No,” I say softly. “There is nothing between us.”
The lie tastes bitter. No matter how much I try to deny it, the echo of Casper’s touch refuses to fade. Jason exhales, shame darkening his face. The chandeliers cast golden light over the ballroom, glinting in the marble floors as the crowd swirls around us.
"I’m a fool," Jason says, his voice low, regret woven into every syllable. "I’ve been cruel, dishonest… careless with you." It’s as if his own words are too much to bear.
His gaze flickers, seeking understanding, absolution—but there is nothing to steady him, nothing to undo what has already been done. His hands clench at his sides before he speaks again, softer now, almost broken.
"You deserve better. You always have. And I?—"
His hands clench once more, then release, as if releasing the burden of what he must say.
"I sent her away," he murmurs, the words quiet, but firm. Then, stronger, "She was never meant to be here. Never meant to matter." He steps closer, something almost desperate in the way moves. "She was a mistake—one I should have never allowed near us."
His gaze burns into mine, pleading, unrelenting.
"She is nothing, Lailah. She was always nothing."
My jaw tightens as I force myself to look beyond his shoulder,refusing to let his words sink in. They hover just out of reach, like a blade suspended above me, waiting to fall.
Jason’s hand steadies me as he guides me into another turn. His touch is gentle, purposeful—too careful. Like he’s trying to reach me without shattering whatever fragile thing remains between us.
"Forgive me, Lailah,"he says, his voice low, a plea stripped of pride."For all of it. For what I have done, for what I have not. If I could undo it, if I could take it from you, I would."
His gaze holds mine, unguarded, something breaking open within him. It is not just regret that lingers there, but something deeper, something thathurts.
"I never meant—" He swallows hard, shaking his head, as if the words themselves are failing him. "I am so sorry."
Something inside me cracks—the boy I once adored, who held a thousand golden memories, looks back at me, the one who made me laugh when I wanted to cry.
